Car-cofupling



(No Model.) W. B. RICE.

GAR COUPLING.

N0. 58 027. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

UNITED STATES r PATENT @FFIQE.

VILLIAM B. RICE, OF MODESTO, .(LALIFORNIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,027, dated August31, 1897.

7 Application filed September 9, 1895- Serial No. 562,466. (No model.)

To all whom itmru/ cancer/2 I Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. RICE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Modesto, in the county ofStanislaus, State of California, have inventeda new and useful AutomaticOar-Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic car-couplers in whichcars automatically couple and in case of derailment automaticallyuncouple; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide acar-coupler capable of coupling the ears automatically when switchedtogether without the intervention of any person to manipulate it or thenecessity of going in between the cars to complete the coupling andwhich can be attached to passenger-coaches and box and flat cars andalso used in connection with the linkoouplers now in use; second, toprovide a coupler which can be uncoupled without the necessity of goingin between the cars to do so, either from the outside of the cars, fromthe platform, or from the top of box-cars, by means of levers attachedto the coupler; third, to provide a coupler which in case. of derailmentof any of the cars will automatically uncouple the derailed car. Iattain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal section of theen'- tire coupler, showing both sections coupled, and is an outside ortop view. Fig. 2 is also a horizontal section, but cut through thecenter, showing in detail the mechanism of the invention. Fig. 3 is avertical section showing the attachment of the link-coupler and also thegrip-coupler.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through-v out the several views.

The plate A A constitutes the outside or frame of the coupler and actsas a buffer when the cars are coupled or switched together. It ishollowed out, so as to permitthe free play of the buffer of the oppositecoupling, and by reason of this curve or hollow aids in holding togetherthe hooks 0 when coupled, the curve preventing the springing apart ofthe couplers. This curve also plays an important part in the accidentaluncoupling, hereinafter explained, by acting as a lever, when the twoparts are turned at a sufficient angle, to pry late the pressure uponthe grip-hooks O O and hold them together in place when the cars arecoupled. The springs can be tightened or relaxed by means of the screws..While these springs hold the grip-couplers in place, they allowsufficient. play to permit the grips to spring apart when the ears arerun together for the purpose ofcoupling, pushing the grips togetheragain when they have passed far enough to couple.

E is the dog which uncouples the grip. It is fastened to the shaft B bythe rivet or pin f, upon which it revolves. It is operated by means ofthe levers F and G, which extend to the outside of the car or whichmaybe carried by a change in the direction of the lever to the top of abox-car. g is a spiral spring surrounding therod h, which attaches thedog E'to the levers F and G. The spring throws the dog back in place,outof the way, when the lever is released. The dog E uncouples the grip bymeans of the levers F and G, and in conjunction with the effect of thepin I when the cars are at an angle of about forty-five degrees, as byderailment, automatically' uncouples them. \Vhen the levers F andG arefastened back, the dog E holds the grip-coupler in such aposition thatin switching together the cars do not couple.

H is a plate fastened to the shaft 'B, to which are attached'the leversF G and through which the rod and spring h and 9 play.

'I is a pin passing through the shaft 13 and into the plates A A, bymeans of which the grip-coupler O is prevented from being pushed by thespring 6, so as to prevent uncoupling when the dog E pushes away thereciprocat- 111g grip hook orcoupler C. It, with the spring 0, limitsthe play of the grip-coupler C on either side and keeps it in place, soas not to interfere with the automatic coupling. It is owing to theaction of this pin upon the hooks C, in conjunction with the dog E andthe lever-like action of the curved buffer A, that when the coupling isturned at a sufficient angle, as by the derailment of a car, the couplerautomatically or accidentally uncouples, thus releasing the carsremaining upon the track.

J is a hole through the plates A A, (the shafts B B do not extend thatfar,) through which a pin K may pass to attach this coupler to anordinary link-coupler L, so that a car furnished with this coupler maycouple with one furnished with the old-style link-coupler.

I am aware that prior to my invention antomatic couplers have been inuse with grip hooks or couplers in somewhat the same shape as those inmy in veniion, and therefore do not claim, broadly, aninvention ofcouplers in the shape of my grip-coupler C; but

\Yhat I do claim as my invention is 1. I11 a car-coupling, thecombination of a vertical hook C, retired within its outside frame A,pivoted upon its shaft B attached to the ear, and provided with a springe and a rivet I, a curved or hollowed outside frame or buffer A,provided with a hole J and a pin K for a link-coupler, and a dog orlever E, pivoted to the said shaft B, operated by means of a spring-rodand pivoted levers h, g, F and G, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a grip-hook C, a hollowed or curved outside frameor bulfer A, a rivet I and a dog E riveted to said shaft B,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

VILLIAM l3. RICE.

\Vitnesses:

N. E. LEEK, 'l. E. 1 RICE.

